According to Archie
by Becky Sky
Summary: Archie is about to tell Atlanta how he feels, but he doesn't know where to start... after all, when you've been through as much as they have, sometimes stepping outside of your element is just scary...


According to Archie

**A/n: An oneshot about Archie and Atlanta's relationship in Archie's POV. Enjoy! Please review!**

"Archie, you're such a dork!" Atlanta giggles as I fall flat on my face. I had been trying out a new skateboard move, trying to get her to look at me the way Theresa glances at Jay all the time, full of admiration and something else that I can't name. Yet all I achieved was looking like a total idiot as I tripped over my own two feet. If Theresa were here she'd be smirking herself to death.

"Thanks," I mutter sarcastically as I stagger to my feet, avoiding her eyes. If I look into them I'll began to stammer and choke on my words. I just get so lost in them. They're a deep, nutty hazel that reminds me of the forest floor, earthy and welcoming.

"No problem," she says and ruffles my hair in what I hope to be an affectionate gesture. I would be sighing with pleasure at her touch, but then she'd think of me as a weirdo as well. I can't have that.

Ever since I first saw Atlanta I was struck by her attitude: tough, sassy, and all together scary. Yet as I got to know her I realized that she had a soft spot too. She loves animals, and even though she hunts, she does it in moderation, always using everything she kills. She's also a nature rights activist, and more than once I've been dragged along to one of her protests. But it's what I love… yikes, _like_ about her.

"Umm, Archie, coming?" I look to see that she's headed for the door of the indoor arena, probably heading to the café down the street we often frequent for sodas after our boarding. Glad to be over my little embarrassing moment, I start to follow her.

At the café she orders a strawberry milkshake, while I order a soda. There's nothing like a good soda to refresh you after you've been boarding all afternoon.

"I can't wait until winter when we can go snowboarding together," Atlanta sighs dreamily. Did she just say together? Man, my heart is going like two hundred beats a minute and I don't think that's normal.

We've always been the best of friends  
No secrets and no demands  
But suddenly from somewhere out of the blue  
I see a different light around you  
One thing I haven't told you, I just want to hold you  
And never let go, I need to know

Now I'm beginning to daydream about winter too…_ Atlanta and I are rushing down the hill, wind in our faces, and laughing and shouting at each other. Suddenly, Atlanta is being attacked by one of Cronus' monsters (_okay, some of you reading this are probably thinking WHO? Or why is he in your DREAMS? Let's just put it this way: when you're a teen fighting a maniac god, it's a tough thing to forget) _and suddenly I rush it, pulling out my Hephaestus whip and curling it around the giant's waist, pulling it so that he falls to the ground. But in the process Atlanta has been injured, and heroically I carry her in my arms down the mountain, snowboarding into the chalet area, hollering for an ambulance. Atlanta is rushed to the hospital, me by her side. In all the rush and chaos she remembers just one thing: Archie._

_When I visit her in the hospital the next morning, she's smiling at me, gratefulness reflected in her hazel orbs. She takes my hand and squeezes it tightly. Then she pulls me towards her, and we get so close…_

"Earth to Archie!" Atlanta's waving her hand in front of my face. Startled, I jump three feet into the air, causing Atlanta to burst into fits of laughter.

"Did I interrupt you doing anything important?" she snickers. If it were anyone else I'd be angry or indignant, but I'd do anything to see her smile. But the fact that she doesn't see that I care so much for her makes me sigh. There's so much I want to say, so much we could be, but I don't know what to do. Anything I do could ruin what connection we do have forever.

How do I get there from here  
How do I make you see  
How do I tell you what my heart's been tellin' me  
Lost in your lovin' arms that's where I wanna be  
You know I love you  
How do I get there

Atlanta's looking at me with a puzzled expression on her face, probably wondering why I'm not laughing along. For her sake I let out a feeble squeak of a giggle, but it doesn't work. Her beaming smile fades as she realizes she must have done something wrong. I pinch myself for letting that grin vanish.

"Arch, are you okay? I didn't …hurt you or anything?" she asks anxiously, worried now. I wish that I could erase the past few moments and see her smile again, hear her laugh. I'm such a fool over her.

"I'm fine," I reassure her, but she still isn't convinced.

"Come on," she urges, grabbing my hand. I can feel the hint of heat flushing my face, and I wonder if she notices. "Let's go to the movies."

"Can we see a romantic film?" I blurt without thinking. She stares at me, bewildered, as though I've been replaced by some alien specimen or something. The reasoning behind my outburst is that most girls like that stuff, and it makes them cry, right? So when they cry, they need someone to comfort them. Atlantagirl. I, Archiecomforter.

That's what I learn when I stay up late at night to watch 6Teen. Of course, I've never admitted that to anyone, especially Jay, Odie, Neil, and Herry, who would probably burst out laughing at me. I've never been the type of guy who can sit still for cartoons. Most are just too boring. Now, if they made a cartoon or movie about our lives, well then, that'd be something I'd watch. Just as long as they don't get some really big idiot to act me out. I mean, that'd be so embarrassing. More embarrassing then me wiping out on my skateboard in front of my crush.

Anyways, so Atlanta's looking at me like I've caught cooties. "I'm just thinking of what girls like to watch," I say hurriedly, blushing.

She wrinkles her nose in disgust. "You mean what Theresa likes."

Whoops. Almost forgot that there was a big difference between what every other girl likes and what Atlanta likes. Let's take Theresa for example. Like most other girls, shopping is a main hobby and she often drags Jay, her almost boyfriend along with her, much to his exasperation. Atlanta would rather skin herself alive then go shopping for a dress, and their movie choices also clash. While Atlanta enjoys thrillers, Theresa does also but likes to have a roster of characters in love with each other in the process, while Atlanta complains it takes away from the action.

"I forgot," I mumble. She shakes her head. "Let's go and see the newest thriller," she decides. I sigh inwardly and follow her into the theatre. I won't be able to hold her in my arms and comfort her today, but at least we have some time alone.

You've probably think I've lost my mind  
Takin' this chance crossin' that line  
But I promise to be truer than true  
Dreaming every night with these arms around you  
I can't wait any longer this feeling's gettin' stronger help me find a way

I pay for the tickets and we find two seats in the middle. The theatre is half empty, the movie simply being one of those cheap ones that directors make in their spare time, and I yawn in anticipation. Atlanta glares at me sharply, and then I feel her stiffen beside me. I whirl around, thinking that Cronus might be here, but it's just the gang.

"Hey there," Theresa chirps cheerfully, her arm linked with Jay's. "Can we join you?" Her green eyes twinkle mischievously at me, and I want to kick her butt all the way to Manhattan. She _has_ to interrupt my time with Atlanta.

Without waiting for my answer she promptly sits down behind us with Jay beside her, motioning for Herry, Odie and Neil to take their seats as well. Neil sits down and jokingly wraps his arm around Theresa's shoulder, and both Theresa and Jay slap his hand away, blushing at each other in the process. Now it's my turn to smirk. Neil pretends to look anguished, but then he grins and looks into his mirror, preening himself.

Atlanta and I roll our eyes at each other knowingly, then flush and look away.

How do I get there from here  
How do I make you see  
How do I tell you what my heart's been tellin' me  
Lost in you lovin' arms that's where I wanna be  
You know I love you  
How do I get there

Herry sits down beside me, and Odie takes a seat on the other side of Atlanta. I feel surrounded, cramped, and panicky. What I hoped to be a romantic moment between Atlanta and me has turned into a party for the entire gang.

I clear my throat to silence the quiet chatter as the movie comes on. I would have let my arm creep across Atlanta's shoulders if I didn't feel Theresa's, Jay's, and Neil's eyes heating my backside. I turn around to glare at them and see that they're sneaking away. I whirl about to see Herry and Odie walking away as well. Theresa must have read my mind and rallied the team to give me some time with Atlanta to make some moves. Atlanta's searching about with a befuddled look on her face, but as we turn around to watch the movie, she sneaks her fingers into mine. Oh gods, my heart is in my throat, and I'm trying to swallow, but it is way too dry. A strangled noise like escapes me, and Atlanta cocks an eyebrow at me inquisitively.

"What's wrong?" she whispers in my ear, her breath warm and ticklish. She's so close I may faint from happiness.

"Nothing," I try to reply, but it comes out as "Noth…thingh."

She giggles and pats my hand, and then seems to realize our hands are intertwined. She casually lets go of my hand, and I reluctantly get the hint, releasing her fingers. I had thought that she may like me back, but now I'm just confused.

I know the shortest distance between two points is a straight line  
But I'll climb any mountain that you want me to climb  
The perfect combination is your heart and mine  
Darlin' won't you give me a sign

I know I've got to tell her how I feel soon, but the cons keep rolling through my mind. I'm not even looking at the movie anymore. I glance at Atlanta to see that she's trying to be preoccupied watching it, but every now and then her gaze flickers to me and then back to the screen when she realizes I'm looking at her.

I gulp. We've come so far and been through so much, and I don't want to risk the best thing I've ever had because I'm greedy for more than her friendship. But I don't know how I would react if I never said a word and she decided we were just friends, and started to date someone else. Either way I may lose her, but at least one way I'd never lose her for good. And if it turned out that she didn't like me "that way", I could always laugh it off and claim I was kidding. She may not be impressed, but at least she'd still be my friend.

"Hey, Atlanta…" I begin.

"Shhh, not know Archie. Can't it wait until after the movie?" she hisses irritably. I guess she has a point, but if I wait for two and a half hours I'll lose my nerve.

"No, it can't."

She moans, exasperated, but we leave the theatre so that we don't disturb the other viewers. We march out onto the sidewalk, and Atlanta turns to me, hands on her hips, hazel eyes flashing in annoyance.

Swallowing, I gather my courage. It's now or never. Now. Never. From the way she's glaring at me, "Never" is looking really great right now.

How do I get there from here  
How do I make you see  
How do I tell you what my heart's been tellin' me  
Lost in you lovin' arms that's where I wanna be  
You know I love you  
How do I get there

But then I remember my fears about Atlanta being someone else's girl, and I buck up.

"Now what do you want?" she snaps at me, but I see fear in her eyes, as though I'm going to tear her apart or something. But maybe she likes me back, and is afraid I'll tell her I hate her, or… that I'm going to tell her my feelings, and ruin everything we both hold dear: our friendship.

Then I'm thinking: What if it's better this way? Or what if I let her come to me? If I force my affections on her, she may frighten and push me away like a nervous deer. I have to take it slowly. So far Atlanta has been almost hinting that she may like me, but I've decided that she should be the one to make the move.

Even though my inside self is hitting me over and over, I grin and say, "I don't really want to watch that movie…" I hold up my skateboard, "You wanna go back and board?"

Her face breaks out into one of those beautiful smiles, and I feel as though I've won a million dollars. "Sure," she says.

We begin to roll away, but not before she grabs the front of my hoodie and draws me towards her, planting a kiss on my lips. I almost forget to kiss her back because I'm in heaven. She pulls away, her eyes soft and warm.

"Thanks Arch," she whispers. It's as though she knew what I had been thinking, and realized that by my selfless act I had saved our friendship.

She boards away, grinning at my astonished face. She waves back at me, and I hurry to go after her. That is, after I fall over my skateboard and land on my face. Again.

I guess I won't be telling her my feelings today, or any time soon.


End file.
